A kaleidoscope of choreography and a roller coaster of emotions and themes combine to create next weekend's dancEnsemble performance, "Moving Out Loud."
In a twist on the group's usual program, which primarily focuses on student choreography, this show features the works of both famous guest artists who visited BYU this school year as well as pieces by first-time student choreographers.
The group will perform five pieces by professional choreographers this weekend, including New York choreographer and dancer Edisa Weeks and Carley Conder, who directs her own dance company, CONDER/dance.
"Imminent Domain," which Conder taught to the company while visiting the university as a guest artist last January, explores external obstacles and internal struggle.
"Just the sheer energy of it is quite exciting," said Pat Debenham, artistic director of dancEnsemble. "Its intent or feeling is that of not being totally in control of your life."
The storyline behind the choreography explores life's struggles and their universal applicability.
"As we go through the mundane practices of life and as we try to achieve things, there's always a roadblock," said Anna Madsen, a senior majoring in modern dance. "Often, we blame it on external things, but it's usually something within ourselves that's creating that obstacle and at the end [of the piece] we break free from that."
Other pieces by professional choreographers include "Fall" and "Suite1," which includes live cello music, by New York choreographer Edisa Weeks and a solo choreographed by internationally known dancer, choreographer, vocalist, director and teacher Tonya Lockyer.
Despite this semester's influx of professionally choreographed pieces, dancEnsemble functions primarily as a program for student choreography - giving aspiring dancers, choreographers, or dance teachers the opportunity to create, teach and perform their own artistic visions.
Students find inspiration for their pieces from a variety of sources. First-time choreographer Camille Pitcher, a sophomore majoring in modern dance, said her piece, "Tracks," originated from childhood memories.
"I have vivid memories of when I was a child waking up to the sounds of trains," she said. "And wondering where all the trains were going, and then [wondering when I was older]: Where is my life going now?'"
The piece explores the similarities between train tracks and the figurative tracks, or paths, in life.
"In life we want to stay on the right track, but we don't know where that track is going," Pitcher said.
The opportunity to choreograph pieces for dancEnsemble enables students to learn a variety of skills.
"You have to realize it's not just dance you're looking at, but you have to think about the lighting and costumes and together what they will do for the dance," said Holly Taylor, a sophomore majoring in modern dance, whose piece "Lights in the Rain" combines artwork, dance and music.
"Moving Out Loud" is at 7:30 p.m. March 24 and 25, 2006, in the Richards Building Dance Theatre, located on the first floor in the northeast corner. Tickets cost $5 and can be purchased at the door or from the Harris Fine Arts Ticket Office at 801.422.4322.
Copyright Brigham Young University 22 Mar 2006
